# US 5,703,184 A · Process for producing styrenic polymer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,703,184 A - Document ID: US5703184A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/624,989 - Filed: 1996-03-29 - Granted: 1997-12-30 - Earliest claimed: 1995-03-31 - Assignees: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited - Inventors: Masayuki Fujita; Takahiro Ishii - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703184A ## CPC - C08F 12/06: Hydrocarbons - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS ## Abstract A process for producing a styrenic polymer having a wide-spread molecular weight distribution, which comprises polymerizing a styrenic monomer or a styrenic monomer and a monomer copolymerizable with the styrenic monomer in the presence of 50 to 5000 ppm by weight of at least one compound selected from compounds having a dithiocarbamate group and sulfide compounds having at least one of an aryl group, an arylalkyl group and a thiazole group based on the total monomer to a final conversion of 40% by weight or more in the absence or presence of a radical initiator subjecting to a suspension polymerization, a batchwise bulk polymerization or a continuous bulk polymerization using a plug flow type polymerization reactor. According to the present invention, there can be provided a simplified process for preparing a styrenic polymer having a wide-spread molecular weight distribution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for producing a styrenic polymer having a wide molecular weight distribution, which comprises; adding to a styrenic monomer or a styrenic monomer and a monomer copolymerizable with the styrenic monomer, based on the total monomer, 50 to 5000 ppm by weight of at least one compound (A) selected from the group consisting of compounds having a dithiocarbamate group, sulfide compounds having at least one of an aryl group, an arylalkyl group and a thiazole group, and polymerizing said monomer in the absence of a radical initiator at a temperature of 110.degree. to 180.degree. C. to a final conversion of 40% by weight or more, said polymerization being carried out by a suspension polymerization, a batchwise bulk polymerization or a continuous bulk polymerization using a plug flow type polymerization reactor, wherein the styrenic polymer is produced having a molecular weight distribution of 2.5 or greater. ### Claim 2 A process for producing a styrenic polymer having a wide molecular weight distribution, which comprises; adding to a styrenic monomer or a mixture of styrenic monomer and a monomer copolymerizable with the styrenic monomer, based on the total monomer, 50 to 5000 ppm by weight of at least one compound (A) selected from the group consisting of compounds having a dithiocarbamate group, sulfide compounds having at least one of an aryl group, an arylalkyl group and a thiazole group, based on the total monomer, and polymerizing the monomer in the presence of a radical initiator at a temperature of 90.degree. to 160.degree. C. to a final conversion of 40% by weight or more, said polymerization being carried out by a suspension polymerization, a batchwise bulk polymerization or a continuous bulk polymerization using a plug flow type polymerization reactor, wherein the styrenic polymer is produced having a molecular weight distribution of 2.5 or greater. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the compound (A) is a member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the formulae: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl or arylalkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and may be the same or different in the same compound, R.sub.2 represents an aryl or arylalkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and may be the same or different in the same compound, R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an aryl or arylalkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and may be the same or different in the same compound, and each n, m and l represents an integer of 1 to 4. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the compound (A) is a member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the formulae: ##STR4## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl or arylalkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and may be the same or different in the same compound, R.sub.2 represents an aryl or arylalkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and may be the same or different in the same compound, R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an aryl or arylalkyl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and may be the same or different in the same compound, and each n, m and l represents an integer of 1 to 4. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the compound (A) is 50 to 4000 ppm by weight based on the total monomer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein an amount of the compound (A) is 50 to 4000 ppm by weight based on the total monomer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the polymerization is carried out at a temperature of 120.degree. to 160.degree. C. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the polymerization is carried out at a temperature of 90.degree. to 150.degree. C. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the final conversion of polymerization is 60% by weight or more. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the final conversion of polymerization is 60% by weight or more. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the radical initiator is selected from the group consisting of organic peroxides and azo compounds. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the radical initiator is added in the amount of 50 to 5000 ppm by weight based on the total monomer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein the radical initiator is added in the amount of 100 to 5000 ppm by weight based on the total monomer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the styrenic polymer is produced having a molecular weight distribution of 2.5 to 10. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the styrenic polymer is produced having a molecular weight distribution of 2.5 to 10.